


bound to each other's hearts

by reyesoflight



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Childhood Friends, Alternate Universe - No Powers, F/F, Friends to Lovers, Mutual Pining, Slow Burn, kara is in the second chapter onwards, karaolsen if you squint
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-01-06
Updated: 2017-01-21
Packaged: 2018-09-15 07:19:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 11,420
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9224669
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/reyesoflight/pseuds/reyesoflight
Summary: They’ve known each other for most of their lives. Hell, they know each other a million times better than they know themselves. Alex can tell you that Maggie loves hot cocoa on a cold winter day more than life itself and that her biggest fear is disappointing those she cares for most. And Maggie can tell you that Alex can’t cook to save her life and that she values the lives of her loved ones more than anything in this universe. But the thing is, neither can tell that the other is head over heels in love with them.Or, the one where Maggie is in love with Alex. And Alex is in love with Maggie. But they take way too many years to figure it out.





	1. Ages 7 to 13

**Author's Note:**

> This was originally supposed to be an 8k one-shot but I got a little carried away.

Ages: 7 to 13

“Have fun, sweetie.” Her mother hugs her tight and she sinks into her warmth. “Try to make a friend or two, okay?” 

Her father ruffles her hair. “Be good, kiddo.” 

Her parents get back into the car and Alex watches silently as they drive away. She watches until the car turns into a corner and she can’t see them anymore. She grips the straps of her new bag, takes in a deep breath and turns to face her new school. It’s so big and there are so many children screaming and chatting around her. She doesn’t know any of them. 

It takes her a moment but she gathers up the courage to walk in. The hallways are worse. It’s so loud and Alex isn’t used to this much action. She’s so small among the older students parading around. 

She walks her way to her new class which she had been shown to during the student orientation. There are already a few kids there and Alex notices some of them crying. The teacher’s busy trying to console them. The other kids are already seated so Alex takes a seat at the front of the class nearby the teacher’s table. Dad told her that it was the best place to sit, especially if she was going to be asking the teachers a lot of questions. 

Alex shifts through her bag and gets her new, pretty blue pencil case out and places it on her table. She’s about to get a few books when someone passes by her. She looks up. 

The girl settles down at the table behind Alex’s. She catches Alex’s eye and smiles. Alex thinks she’s got a really pretty smile. 

The girl holds out a hand. “I’m Maggie Sawyer.”

“I’m Alex Danvers.” Maggie’s hand is soft in hers.

Maggie nods at her and starts to shift through her own bag. Alex watches her. She has really nice hair. It’s long and tied into a cute ponytail but Alex thinks that it must look really nice and flowy when it’s free. Her own dark hair is simply cut short and straight. But Alex likes it, it doesn’t get in her way. 

“I like your hair.” She blurts out and she feels her cheeks burning. She didn’t mean to say that. 

Maggie looks up at her and Alex thinks she’s going to laugh. Instead, her lips spread into a huge grin that exposes her dimples. “Thanks!” She scrunches her nose. “Mama always has to wash it for me though. It’s very thick and she says I use too much shampoo.” 

Alex smiles. “It’s really nice.” 

Maggie’s eyes light up. “Hey! We should be friends!”

Alex has never really had a friend before. She’s not one to leave her house often and there isn’t anyone her age who lives nearby. Surely it would be nice to have a friend. She nods enthusiastically. “We’re friends now.”

They trade timetables and Alex is happy to learn that they share most of their classes. 

Their first class is English and their teacher, although sometimes funny, scares Alex a little. She insists on arranged seatings and Maggie ends up three rows away from Alex. She’s disappointed but grateful that she’s still somewhere near the front of the class. 

By the time lunch rolls around, Alex is exhausted. She doesn’t think she’s ever been around this many children her age for so long. Maggie brings her own food but still follows Alex as she waits in line to get her own. They sit together at an unoccupied table. 

The food is mushy and tastes weird. She looks at Maggie’s food longingly and Maggie laughs. “Mama told me I wouldn’t like the food here. Want some of mine?” 

Alex shakes her head. “My mom says I have to eat this food.” She pouts. “It doesn’t taste nice.”

“Okay.” Maggie says. Alex forces herself to finish her food and not stare at Maggie’s. 

Two girls join their table and Alex recognizes them from her first class. Lucy Lane and M’gann M’orzz. Alex smiles at them and hopes she looks friendly. Maggie waves at them enthusiastically. 

M’gann cringes as she takes her first bite of the food followed closely by Lucy who lets out an “ugh.” The four of them laugh and Alex feels this calling deep in her gut, telling her that she’s going to have an amazing year. 

 

By the time her first day ends, Alex is already daydreaming about taking a nap on her bed. She says goodbye to Maggie and finds her parents’ car waiting. 

“How was your first day, sweetie?” Her mom asks as soon as she enters the car. “Did you make any friends? How were your teachers?” 

“She just came in Eliza. Give the girl a break.” Dad jokes, starting the car. “But tell us everything, Alex.” 

Alex stretches and she catches her parents’ eyes from the rear-view mirror. She tells them about Maggie. Tells them about how she was so nice to her and even mentions her pretty hair. She also talks about M’gann and Lucy and how the four of them sat together during lunch. 

“I’m so glad you found friends, honey.” Her mom smiles wide. “You’re going to have a great year.” 

By the time they reach home, Alex is yawning. Her mom tells her to take a nap before dinner and Alex happily obliges. 

She thinks that her first day went pretty well. 

 

Alex and Maggie become inseparable over the next few months. They’re with each other almost all through the days at school and spend most weekends at each other’s house. Over time, they form a close bond with Lucy and M’gann as well.

Finals week arrives before they know it and Alex has never felt this stressed in her life. Her parents tell her to take it easy, that it’s only her first year and she doesn’t need to exert herself too much. She stills feels the pressure anyway.

She’s lucky to have Maggie, who comes over during weekends with snacks from her mom, and prompts Alex to take a break. 

“Aleeex.” She whines, closing her own book and placing it next to her on Alex’s bed. She rolls onto her back and looks at the ceiling. “I’m bored.” 

Alex doesn’t look up from her book but she knows Maggie’s frowning at her. “I need to get my A’s, Maggie.”

“Can we take a snack break?” Maggie pleads, inching closer to Alex and poking her side. “I’m hungry.” 

“Don’t poke me.” she sighs and looks at Maggie, still frowning at her with big brown eyes. “Fine. Just let me read this page.”

Maggie hugs her side. “You’re the best!”

When Alex gets her results back, she lets out a whoop of joy. Straight A’s. Her parents would be so proud of her. She tells Maggie, who lets out an even louder whoop, and they celebrate by convincing Maggie’s mom to take them to the movies. 

**

They go on a field trip with their second grade class to the zoo. Maggie doesn’t stop talking about it since they signed the forms and handed them in. 

“Alex, we can go pony riding!”

“Oh! And we can see lions and tigers!”

“Do you think there’ll be raccoons? I really like raccoons.” 

“I’ve always wanted to take a picture with a snake. I hope they’ll allow us to do that.”

And that’s just a small portion of what Maggie talked about last night alone. 

They’re currently sitting together on the bus and Maggie’s taken the seat by the window despite Alex arriving first. Somehow all it took was a pout from Maggie to have Alex relenting and handing the window seat to her best friend. Maggie claims she just “wants to watch the road outside.”

Except Maggie hasn’t even looked out the once since the bus started moving fifteen minutes ago. All Maggie’s been doing is looking at Alex and telling her about all the stuff they can do. 

Alex isn’t particularly excited for the trip but watching Maggie practically bursting at the seams with anticipation is motivating her to look forward to it. So far, her best friend seems to be most excited about seeing the tigers. 

“I’ve always thought about having a pet tiger. They’re kinda like cats. Except bigger and more terrifying.” 

“Maybe one day we can get a pet tiger together. That would be cool.” Alex jokes. 

Maggie grins. “We can scare all our neighbours with it.”

 

They visit the ape exhibit first and everyone laughs as they watch the small white Gibbon scratch it’s armpits and sniff at the audience it has gathered. Eventually, it tires of them and swings deeper into the enclosure. Alex watches in awe at the way it effortlessly swings across the large cage. 

They power through a few more exhibits and when they finally reach the tigers, Maggie releases her prior grip on Alex’s hand and practically smushes her face to the glass walls. There are two tigers closest to them and they’re cooling off in the water, ears perked and eyes lazily watching her schoolmates. Alex has to admit that they look pretty majestic. 

“I wish I could pet them.” Maggie utters, marveling at the tigers. “I want to.”

One of the boys in their class, James Olsen, chuckles. He lifts the camera hanging on a strap around his neck. “I can take a picture of them if you want.” 

Maggie nods enthusiastically. “Thank you.”

James snaps a few pictures for Maggie. “I’ll pass them to you on Monday.”

Alex watches as Maggie thanks James again and then diverts her attention back to the tigers, the awe never quite leaving her face. 

She practically has to pull Maggie away when the group decides to move on.

 

The panther exhibit is next and this time it’s Alex’s turn to look in awe. They're so large and lean and they look so regal. There's one standing at the tip of the small cave entrance, chin up and looking out at them but Alex feels as though it's eyes are trained directly on her. She's frozen in her spot, acutely aware of the chattering behind her and Maggie’s light grip on her hand. She suddenly understands Maggie’s love for tigers. This black panther is large and so intimidating yet she feels inexplicably drawn to it, like it's calling her out and she too feels the urge to get closer. 

She's interrupted by a snap of a camera. James smiles at her. “This one’s for you.”

 

Pony riding is something Alex has never tried in her life. Maggie, though, used to go for classes and she’s quite adept at maneuvering the pony. They go in pairs and Alex sits behind Maggie, gripping tightly on her waist with her chin lightly pressing into Maggie’s shoulder. 

“You sure this thing won’t drop us?”

“Of course, Alex. I know what I’m doing. Don’t worry.” 

They make it through the ride without any mishaps thanks to Maggie’s skills. 

 

At the aviary, there’s a bunch of people waiting in line to take a picture with parrots. Maggie drags her, Lucy and M’gann to the line. 

Lucy is the most reluctant. “I still think birds are evil and out to kill us. Also look at their eyes. They’re planning something.” 

M’gann, who’s known to be quite partial to birds, if her two pet lovebirds are anything to go by, snorts. “Lucy, please. They’re innocent and so adorable. Look at their faces!” 

Their turn arrives soon enough and the four of them squeeze onto a bench. The zookeeper tells them to relax and she patiently directs the birds to perch on them. Alex, sitting on the left edge, gets a cockatoo on her left arm and a conure on her head. The bird on her arm is quite heavy but she manages. The picture is taken mid-smile and Alex has it framed later and she places it on her bedside table. Whenever she’s feeling down, even in the years to come, she looks at it, remembering that she has a family of friends that love and care for her.

 

When they see the snakes, Maggie is informed that they’re too late for the photo taking session and she pouts. Alex promises that they’ll come back one day just for that.

 

At the end of the day, they wind up at the souvenir store. Most of the stuff are overly priced and kind of useless which leads to a grumbling Maggie who heads to the toilet with M’gann. Alex quickly goes to the aisle with the stuffed toys. She picks up a stuffed tiger. It’s soft and fluffy and looks so innocent next to the actual tigers she watched today. She takes it anyway and pays for it with nearly all her saved pocket money. Mom might just kill her for this but she’ll do it if it means making Maggie happy. 

Maggie’s eyes widen when Alex presents it to her and the full blown smile that shows on her face tell Alex that yes, it definitely was worth it. Maggie hugs it first, snuggling it to her neck and petting its head. Then she throws her arms around Alex, hugging her so tight that she has trouble breathing. “Thanks, Lex.” 

Maggie names it Fang - “they have sharp teeth that will tear your flesh apart, Alex” - and snuggles it close to her every night. 

**

She skips school on the second Friday of April in third grade. 

Alex notes this down because it’s the first time she’s ever been absent. 

She wakes up that morning feeling like someone is pressing the entire world onto her chest. She groans and her throat feels like there are a thousand tiny needles poking at it. She pushes herself out of bed, draping her quilt around her and looking for her mom. 

Her mother takes one look at her and says, “You’re not going to school today.” 

“But I need to get my homework.” Alex tries. “Ms Grant said she was teaching us a new topic today.”

“No buts.” Her mom insists. “I’m calling the school and letting them know you’re sick. Go back to sleep.”

Alex pouts but obeys. She hopes Maggie will get her the homework like Alex did for her when Maggie fell sick. 

 

There’s a knock on her door that startles her the next morning. She’s relieved to find that her throat hurts much less and she no longer feels like she’s going to die. She takes a deep breath and mumbles, “Come in.” 

“I brought you food.” It’s Maggie. With a giant grin on her face. She waves the container in her hand at Alex and jumps onto her bed. She scrunches her face. “And your homework.”

Alex whines. “You’re making the bed move too much.” 

“Sorry.” Maggie doesn’t sound sorry. “Mama made you soup. She made it for me the last time I was sick and it made me feel okay again.” 

“Tell her I said thank you.” Alex can smell the soup and it smells delicious. She takes the container from Maggie and the spoon in her hand. She opens the container and takes a spoonful of the soup. She moans. “It’s so good. I think I’m feeling better already.” 

Maggie grins. “I know right.” She cuddles up close to Alex. “We should watch TV.” 

“You’re going to fall sick if you sit so close to me.” 

“No, I won’t. And if I do I have the magic soup.”

They spend the rest of the day watching cartoons. Maggie updates her on what she missed at school and they do their homework together.

Alex feels almost cured by the time the Sun goes down and Maggie has to leave. 

When Maggie falls sick the next day, Alex says, “I told you so.” 

She spends the whole day taking care of Maggie anyway. 

**

For Maggie’s tenth birthday, her parents get her a puppy. 

Alex is the first person to know because Maggie comes knocking on her door with a leash in her hand and the hugest grin that Alex has ever seen on her face. Her dimples are on full display and her eyes are shining at Alex. “His name is Charlie. Follow me for his first walk?” 

“Give me a minute.” Alex runs to her room. She grabs Maggie’s carefully wrapped birthday present and tells her mom where she’s going, excitement bubbling in her chest. 

Maggie is waiting for her outside and Charlie is sniffing the ground beneath them curiously, his tail swaying left and right. She watches for a minute as Maggie pats her dog’s head. Alex can’t help but notice the similarity in the both of them. They’re two giant balls of energy whose never ending excitement can be felt from miles away, always happy and looking for the chance to make someone laugh. She smiles. She knows she’s going to love this dog as much as she loves Maggie. 

Alex runs to Maggie and envelops her best friend in a hug. “Happy birthday!” She hands the gift to Maggie. “Don’t open it now though. Let’s walk him first.”

They idly stroll through the neighbourhood, stopping every so often when Charlie decides to sniff anything he’s curious about. Alex feels as content as ever, just spending the day with the person who means the most in her life. She doesn’t think Maggie is someone she’ll ever lose. Maggie means the everything to her and without Maggie, Alex’s world would crumble beneath her feet. 

Their path eventually takes them back to Maggie’s house and they leave Charlie with Mr Sawyer before heading to Maggie’s room. They climb onto Maggie’s bed and lay side by side on their stomachs. 

“Open your present.” Alex prompts, pushing her nerves and insecurities aside. Maggie’s sure to like the present. She’d spent hours last week making it with her dad, ensuring that it was as flawless and special as possible. Maggie has to like it. 

Maggie smirks and peels the wrapping off, discarding it beside her. She opens the lid and takes the rectangular shaped object out. Her eyes soften as she looks at it. “Wow, Alex, this is great.”

It’s a navy blue photo frame, with little white specks for stars sprinkled around and a moon painted in one corner. At the bottom corner, there’s a quote that her dad had helped her pick out. Any day spent with you is my favourite day. It’s from Winnie the Pooh, which Maggie loved when she was a toddler. The frame already has a picture and Alex smiles as she looks at it. Her dad took the picture a few months ago, when both their families had gone for a picnic. Maggie and Alex are lying on the ground, arms around each other, mid-laugh from a joke Mr Sawyer had cracked. They both look so happy and cheerful, nothing else on their minds but each other’s company. Alex has that day marked down as one of the best in her life. 

“You like it?” Alex asks. “Dad helped me make it.” 

“I love it.” Maggie pulls her into a tight, long hug. “It’s the best gift I’ve ever received.” 

“Better than Charlie?” 

“Duh.” Maggie grins. She places the frame on her bed stand. 

Later, Alex realises the frame will be the first thing Maggie sees every morning. She smiles to herself and her stomach does a little flip. 

**

Maggie and Alex are approximately twelve years old now and the thing about two girls that age is that it’s the ripe age of puberty. This brings them both into a lull of confusing hormone changes, rapid growing and, of course, the over looming doom and paranoia over the visit from Aunt Red. Well, at least it’s Alex who feels the latter. Everywhere she goes, she makes sure she has a bag of everything she’d need in the case of finally getting her period. She spends too much time on the internet researching symptoms and drowns herself in preparation. Mom tells her to not worry too much but it doesn’t really stop her at all. The emergency pack is always with her. 

Maggie, on the other hand, frustrates Alex to no end with her little, or rather lack of care. She tells Maggie over and over again that she should be prepared but her best friend just shrugs and says. “It’ll come when it comes, Alex. No need to worry too much.” 

In the end, it’s Maggie who gets it first. She spends that morning at school whining to Alex about a stomach ache and feeling weird. When offered to go to the nurse, Maggie refuses. Around lunch, she sees the small red spot at the back of Maggie’s pants and she quickly stands behind her, leading them to the bathroom, her emergency pack in hand. 

She hands it to Maggie, who looks at it blankly, when they enter the bathroom and all but pushes her into the stall. Maggie comes out with a dazed look and Alex makes her drink some water. Then she makes sure Maggie eats as much as possible during lunch. 

“Why are you stuffing me so much?”

“Cause you’ll need the energy.”

“You sound like my mom.” 

“Just eat your food.” 

 

Later when they go to Maggie’s house, Maggie flops onto her couch and lets out an overly dramatic groan that makes Alex roll her eyes but smile anyway. “This is worse than I thought.” 

“I told you to prepare.” Alex teases. “Now you just have to live with it for the next 40 years or so.” 

“Live with what?” It’s Mrs Sawyer. She walks into the room and places a kiss on Maggie’s head and hugs Alex warmly. 

“Hi, Mrs Sawyer.” Alex smiles. Maggie’s mom is practically a second mom to her. “Maggie has some interesting news for you.” 

She gives the same dimpled smile as her daughter. “What is it?” 

“I got my period.” Maggie lifts her arms and covers her face. Not in embarrassment, no, the good thing about their families is that they don’t shy away from topics of this nature. “And it does not feel good.” 

“You’re a woman now.” Mrs Sawyer teases, her eyes twinkling. 

Maggie scoffs. “I don’t feel any different.”

Mrs Sawyer laughs and runs a hand through her daughter's hair. “Why don’t you go to your room and rest.” She turns to Alex. “And Alex you know you’re welcome to stay.”

Alex looks to Maggie who mouths “stay” to her, as if her mother wasn’t looking right at her face. “I’ll stay.” 

They go up to Maggie’s room, where Alex is kind enough to bring her a heat pad that Mrs Sawyer gave her. Maggie accepts it and cuddles up with Fang.

“You’re lucky it’s a Friday and we have all weekend to laze around.” 

“When you get yours I’m gonna laugh at you.” 

 

She does. Maggie laughs at Alex when she calls her one Saturday morning a few months later, groaning about how terrible she feels. But she also comes to Alex’s house almost immediately with a heat pad and chocolate bar in one hand and DVDs of Alex’s favourite movies in the other.

**

They join their first science fair in middle school, specifically in 7th grade. Alex is brimming with excitement that Maggie fully reciprocates. They make an amazing lava lamp together, with the help of Dad, that fills them both with pride. It’s simple, easy and they have an amazing time at the fair. 

“Dude, do you think we could win?” Maggie jumps excitedly, as the judges roll around the hall. 

Alex grins at her. The judges had just inspected their project and they seemed pretty impressed, asking the both of them questions that they answered precisely and easily. “I dunno but I think we stand a pretty high chance.” 

“They seemed to like theirs.” Maggie motions to the judges, opposite their table, inspecting M’gann and Lucy’s experiment on self-inflating balloons. 

“They liked ours too.” Alex points out and Maggie nods. “Either way, we win the prize of having fun with it.” 

They win. When the judges call out their names for first prize, they squeal and crash into a bone crushing hug. “We did it!” Alex says and Maggie repeats it back. 

The trophy is almost too big for the both of them to hold but they still hold it and smile widely for the cameras. After that, Maggie and Alex win every science fair they join. There’s an entire shelf in each of their homes holding their prizes. 

**

The summer holidays after 8th grade is spent with long days under the sun, with shorts and cute hats, and nights spent camping in a tent outside either of their homes, staring at the stars and learning the constellations. 

“I think my favourite constellation is Delphinus.” Alex mentions one night, as the two of them lie on the grass, looking up into the vast night sky. There’s no cloud in sight and the stars are bright and twinkling. The full moon casts a pale glow on their faces and Alex feels like nothing could go wrong.

Maggie traces out the constellations with her finger and turns to look at Alex. “Why’s that?”

“Delphinus found Amphitrite for Poseidon and they fell in love, he put up the constellation to show his gratitude. I just think it’s a sweet story.” Alex explains. 

“Do you want me to be your Delphinus? I can find you a sweet someone?” Maggie laughs at her, her eyes shining bright as the stars above them. “I’d be happy to as long as you make a constellation in my name too.” 

“Shut up, Maggie.” Alex playfully smacks her shoulder. 

In that moment, it dawns on Alex that Maggie is truly the most beautiful girl she has ever seen. 

***

Lucy Lane is the daughter of Sam Lane, General of the United States Army, which leaves her with a lot of free time in her large empty house when her father is away on business. Her relationship with her big sister is rocky and when Alex sees them together she has a sudden urge to be Lucy’s big sister instead. Just so she can treat her better. She sees the disappointment in Lucy’s face every time Lois dismisses her. 

Maggie, Alex, and M’gann spend many days of their summer holidays since grade seven at Lucy’s backyard. She has a large pool there that the girls find perfect for cooling off in the hot summer heat. 

They sit on the sides, drinking cool fruit punches, talking about life and school. Alex loves being with them. It’s like her own little family. 

**

Their parents surprise them the summer before seventh grade with a week-long camping trip.

They pack their bags that night while chatting erratically over the phone about the excitements of the coming week. 

They share a tent together and spend the nights talking, barely getting a wink of sleep. Sometimes they look at the stars and the moon, pointing out constellations like they usually do and watching clouds pass over the moon. Sometimes, they simply wrap themselves in blankets, hiding out in their tent while they listen to the sound of the crickets singing and owls hooting. 

In the daytime, they cloud gaze, go hiking and swim at the waterfall hidden a little into the woods, the water clear as the sky and the splashing of the waterfall their background music. In the water they splash at each other, laughing till their cheeks start to hurt. 

Alex has the most wonderful time. They’re parents look on at them with smiles on their faces. 

Dad teaches them how to start a fire and they sit around it, roasting marshmallows and living the dream. Their parents get buzzed over the wine and beer that they keep far away from the two girls and Maggie laughs as their parents dance under the moonlight, cheeks red and eyes lit. 

It doesn’t take long for Maggie to pull Alex up and dance with her too. Maggie’s eyes shine bright as they dance around the campfire and Alex has never felt more full and happy in her life. 

They settle down after dancing for what seemed like hours and sit around the fire once more. Mom preens. “I’m so happy you two found each other. I’ve never seen a friendship quite as pure as yours.” 

Alex smiles and Maggie leans her head on Alex’s shoulder. “What can I say, Mrs Danvers, we’re a match made in heaven.” 

Mr Sawyer laughs. “True that.” He looks to his wife. “Can you imagine them in the future, wreaking havoc. They’re gonna be one hell of a team.” 

“Their husbands are probably gonna be jealous with how much time they spend together.” 

Their parents laugh but Maggie pulls her head away from Alex’s shoulder and looks away from them, a slight frown on her face. It doesn’t go unnoticed by Alex. “You okay?”

Maggie nods but she gets up and stretches, her usual cocky smile returning, but a little less defined. “I’m tired. I’m gonna go to bed.” 

“Me too.” Alex quickly says and their parents still don’t notice the sudden aura of discomfort Maggie gives. They hug their parents goodnight and head to their tent. 

“Are you sure you’re okay?” Alex asks because it’s not like Maggie to suddenly go quiet and retire to sleep. 

“Just a little tired.” Maggie yawns but Alex knows her enough to know that it’s a fake one. She gives Maggie a pointed look and Maggie sighs. “I just don’t like thinking about our future husbands.”

“Why’s that?” Alex is genuinely curious. She hasn’t exactly given that topic much of a thought. 

“I just don’t like the idea of being with some guy for the rest of my life.” 

Alex is quiet for a moment, a million untraceable thoughts in her mind. “We’re thirteen, Maggie, we don’t need to think about this for now.” 

“Yeah, I guess.” Maggie sounds defeated. 

“If it’s any consolation, I don’t like the idea of getting married to some guy too. Seems like a boring life, doesn’t it?” Alex laughs. “We should just get married to each other.” 

Maggie gives her a sad smile. “Yeah.” She sighs and Alex thinks she may have crossed a line. “I really am tired though. Night.” She turns her back to Alex. 

“Night.” Alex goes to sleep that night with a million more untraceable thoughts in her head. 

When she wakes up, Maggie is next to her again and they spend the rest of the holidays as if the previous night’s discussion never occurred. Alex even forgets the entire conversation after some time.


	2. Ages 14 to 18 - Part I

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> the one where maggie comes out and alex gets a little sister

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so i changed the number of chapters because as i was reviewing my outline i realised it's way too long for only 4 chapters. i was actually suppose to fit in chapters 2 to 4 into one whole chapter but i got carried away again.

Freshman year of high school, Maggie and Alex are the awkward nerds with barely any other friends and a penchant for getting into trouble. It doesn’t matter to them, it never does, because they know that as long as they have each other, they can have the whole world. 

They’re sitting together one day, alone outside the cafeteria, sharing their lunch. Maggie holds a forkful of her pasta and feeds it to Alex, who’s grinning widely at her. “I love your mom’s cooking so much.” Alex moans around the pasta in her mouth. It’s truly the best thing she’s ever tasted. 

“You tell me that at least three times a day, Alex.” Maggie points out. “But you’re right. It’s the best.” 

A group of boys, led by the school’s resident jerk, Maxwell Lord, passes by. They snicker and one of them whisper. “Are they lesbians or something?” The whole group violently sniggers and Alex stiffens, feeling hot rage crawl up her spine. She pulls herself away from Maggie. 

Alex doesn’t expect it but Maggie literally growls and she sends them a sharp glare that could kill. “Hey! Douchelord and friends! How about you mind your own damn business?” 

Maggie pushes her sleeves up above her elbows and Alex panics. She’s not sure what’s going to happen next and she’s suddenly terrified. “Maggie.” She hisses as a warning. 

The boys laugh and Maxwell looks at them with a smirk that Alex wants to kick off his stupid, smug face. “What? You’re going to fight us? You can barely reach my face!” 

Alex’s eyes widen as Maggie gets up with a look of pure rage on her face. “Maggie.” 

“Listen to your girlfriend, Sawyer. She’s smarter than you.” Maxwell laughs and Alex notices Maggie clenching her fists tight, so tight that her knuckles are turning white. Alex can’t take it. She’s not allowing a bunch of entitled rich assholes treat her best friend like that. Against her better judgment, she’s up in front of Maxwell and she decks him square in the jaw before she can even think about the consequences. He’s stunned for a moment, looking at her with utter disbelief on his face. His friends share the same look. 

Alex turns to look at Maggie, feeling a bit lost herself. Maggie, though, is looking at her with bright eyes and her face is morphed in pure admiration. Alex doesn’t know how to feel about that but it’s an image that will be stuck in her mind forever. 

“All of you. My office. Now.”

They all turn in the direction of the voice. It’s Principle J’onzz. 

Shit.

As they’re walking to the office, their doom awaiting them, Alex whispers to Maggie. “You’re a thousand times better than all of them combined.” Maggie nods but she’s distant for the rest of the day. 

They get detention for a week.

 

“Are you okay?” Alex asks her that night. They’re watching a movie and there’s a blanket draped over them. It’s their Friday movie night, Alex’s favourite time of the week. 

“Sure.” Maggie tells her but her eyes are sad. She takes some popcorn and plops them into her mouth, sighing softly. “I don’t know.” 

Alex pauses the movie and faces Maggie. Alex grabs her hand and Maggie’s eyes well up. “You can tell me anything, you know?” 

It’s quiet for a long time as Maggie stares at their joint hands. Alex can see the millions of questions running through her eyes. Her heart aches for her best friend. It hurts that she doesn’t know why. It hurts that she doesn’t know how to make her feel better, Alex tells her, softly. “I want to help.” 

Maggie takes a deep breath and takes her hand back. She can’t look into Alex’s eyes and oh, Alex feels so empty. She needs to be able to help. She can’t stand watching her best friend in pain. She can’t. 

“I think…” Maggie pauses. “I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about this.” She takes another deep breath. “I think I’m….” There’s a long pause and Maggie can’t seem to finish her sentence. 

Alex worries. She prompts her, softly. “You think you’re what?” 

“I think I’m gay.” Maggie’s eyes are rooted on the coffee stain on the sofa but Alex sees a single teardrop fall onto the chair. Her heart breaks when she realises Maggie’s afraid of rejection from her. 

She thinks back to that time their families went camping and how Maggie had completely closed herself off after their conversation about marriage. About how Maggie had seemed so distant, so reluctant that night. She understands now but she truly wishes she’d noticed earlier. She wishes that she could have helped Maggie go through this from the start. 

“Oh, Maggie. Come here” She scoops her best friend into a hug. “I love you, okay? I love you no matter your sexuality. You’re still the Maggie I’ve always known. This doesn’t change a thing between us. You’ll always be my best friend.”

Maggie sniffles and she pulls herself out of the hug after a moment. “Thank you.” 

It dawns on Alex that maybe what Maxwell and his lackeys said about them had more impact than she thought on Maggie. She doesn’t know anything about coming out but she can only imagine how painful it must be to hear such comments when you don’t even feel comfortable in your own skin yet. She’s suddenly glad that she punched him in the face for that. Detention be damned.

“Anytime.” Alex assures her. Then she grins. “So… any girl you want to talk about?” 

Maggie smiles at her with dimples and her heart is full again. She leans her head on Alex’s shoulder. “Nope. Let’s just get back to the movie.”

 

Next week, Alex chooses the movie. She spent hours into the night after Maggie came out researching different movies to watch with her best friend. In hopes that maybe Maggie would feel better and see that she’s not alone. She does this because she’s sure that if she were in Maggie’s position, she’d want the same thing. 

She chooses But I’m A Cheerleader because it has a happy ending and it doesn’t look too cringey. 

As a rule, they don’t watch rom-coms. It’s boring and most of the time they just get distracted. The romance is always draggy and it usually ends in them switching channels or falling asleep. So when Alex tells her what the movie is about, Maggie snorts. “We’re not watching a rom-com, Alex.” 

“Come on, Maggie. It’s not like the usual ones. Maybe you’ll like it. It can’t be that boring.” Alex tries to convince her but Maggie is still skeptical. “Just try it. Please?” Alex gives Maggie her best puppy eyes. Even though they don’t come as close as Maggie’s perfectly adorable ones, it does its job. 

Maggie gives in and they settle on the couch, starting the movie. The movie starts off with terribly intimate close-ups of the cheerleader’s long smooth legs and Alex panics for a second. She looks around the house despite knowing for sure that her parents are out and won’t be home for at least another three hours. It continues to show close-ups that make Alex feel unnecessarily called out, which doesn’t make any sense at all. It’s nothing she hasn’t seen before.

The scene eventually morphs into the cheerleaders practicing and Alex feels herself relax a little. When Megan tries kissing her boyfriend, both Alex and Maggie laugh the ridiculosity of it. 

“You’re right.” Maggie tells her. “This was a good idea.” 

The credits eventually roll and Alex realises she’s been unable to tear her eyes away from the screen the entire time. Both her and Maggie look at each other at the same time and there’s a light in Maggie’s eyes that wasn’t there before. She has this small satisfied smile on her face that has Alex knowing she made the right decision to show Maggie this movie. 

Maggie laughs. “I should start a home for queer kids with a girlfriend when I’m older.” 

“I’ll help you both paint the house rainbow.”

The light in Maggie’s eyes suddenly die out and her face falls. “I’ll have to tell my parents soon.”

“Do you want to tell them yet?” Alex looks at Maggie in concern. “You know you can take all the time you need.”

“I think I do.” 

Alex holds Maggie’s hand. “You don’t have to tell them if you’re not ready.” 

“God, Alex, what if they don’t accept me? What if they send me to one of those camps. They’re way worse in real life. What if they kick-” 

“Maggie, stop.” Alex squeezes her hand. “Your parents love you to death and they will always love you. Even if they don’t accept you straight away, they will come around. And whatever happens, you have me, okay?”

“Promise?” Maggie’s voice is small.

“Promise. I’ll be here for you forever.”

“Thank you.” Maggie tells her when Alex drapes the blankets on their bodies later that night. She has a feeling Maggie isn’t just talking about the blankets. 

**

Dad takes them out one winter to the lake about an hour's drive away. Maggie is practically bursting with excitement in the backseat, eager to try out ice-skating for the first time in her life. Alex watches her fondly, telling her all about her own experiences in ice-skating when she was little.

When they arrive, Maggie and Alex hold hands and practically skip to the lake with Dad trailing behind them, holding their gear. The surface of the lake is fully frozen and it shines almost as bright as Maggie’s eyes in the reflection of the sunlight. There’s already a couple of people there, gliding across the ice gracefully. Well some of them, Alex thinks as she spots a guy fall flat on his face. Maggie snorts at him beside Alex. 

They sit on the bench and tie up their skates. Alex steps onto the ice first and slides in a circle, a gleeful laugh falling out of her mouth. It’s been so long since she felt this. The freedom of the sliding across the ice, the wind blowing across the face. She missed it. 

She catches Maggie smiling at her widely. She notices how tiny and adorable Maggie looks then. She’s basically a burrito in her large winter coat, the furry hood barely making her face visible. Alex has a sudden urge to hug her, bury her face in Maggie’s neck and never let go. 

She slides back to Maggie and holds out a gloved hand that Maggie takes. Maggie wobbles as soon as she steps foot on the ice. She slides one foot out and nearly does a full on split on the ice but Alex catches her and helps her regain her balance. 

“Woah. Careful there.” She says with a little chuckle. 

“This is harder than it looks.”

Alex hums. “Let me help you.” Still holding Maggie’s left hand, she maneuvers around to grab a hold of Maggie’s right hand while facing her. Alex looks into Maggie’s eyes and smiles reassuringly. “I slide one foot back and you slide your foot in front okay?” 

They manage to skate around the ice for a while like that, Maggie slowly gaining her confidence. Alex gives her pointers every now and then. 

“How do you know this so well?” Maggie asks as she slides a foot forward. 

Alex tries to quicken their pace. “I’ve been practicing since I was four.” 

“You should be a figure skater.” 

Alex laughs at her, shaking her head. “Absolutely not.” She lets go of Maggie’s hands, and her eyes widen in panic for a second. Maggie takes one, two, three slides before she slips again. Alex catches her as always. 

Maggie groans. “This is so hard.” 

“It’s not, Maggie.” Alex insists. She takes only Maggie’s right hand. “You just need practice.” 

They try a few more times, each ending with Maggie falling into Alex’s arms but neither of them really mind because they’re having too much fun. 

 

Jeremiah watches them from the sides. His daughter and the girl who’s become like a second child to him. They’re holding hands, gazing so deeply into each other’s eyes that he thinks they might get lost in them. They’re oblivious to the world around them. Jeremiah knows at this moment that nothing, absolutely nothing will ever break the bond between them, regardless of how their relationship molds and changes in the future. 

**

Maggie is at Alex’s door with tear streaked eyes one cold Saturday morning. She collapses into Alex’s arms as soon as the door is opened and Alex hugs her tight, worry and concern filling her heart. They go to Alex’s room and she lets Maggie cry into her chest for a bit, tracing patterns on her back and telling Maggie that she’ll be okay. 

Rubbing her eyes, Maggie eventually pulls back and sniffles. “Sorry about that.” 

Alex shakes her head. “What happened, Maggie?” 

“I told my parents.” Maggie pulls on a loose thread on Alex’s covers and Alex’s heart drops. “My mom’s fine. But my dad’s not talking to me.”

“Oh, Maggie. Come here.” Alex pulls her into another hug, gripping her tight as if she’s trying to show Maggie just how strong her support for her is. She can’t even begin to phantom what Maggie must be going through.

Maggie snuggles into Alex. “He won’t even look me in the eye, Alex. And even Mama can’t get through to him.”

“I’m so sorry.” She grips her tighter and doesn’t let go until Maggie feels ready. 

They avoid Mr Sawyer like the plague for the next two weeks, spending most of their time at Alex’s house and only being at Maggie’s when her dad isn’t at home. Mr Sawyer is generally a good guy, always kind to Alex, but right now, Alex wants to deck him in the face for causing Maggie pain. She doesn’t voice this thought to Maggie though. 

She really hopes he’ll come around. Maggie is hurting too much.

**

Summer eventually rolls around and Maggie leaves for two months to visit her extended family in Nevada. 

Alex is dying of boredom. She’s invited to Lucy’s house a couple of times with M’gann but it’s just not nearly as fun without Maggie by her side to laugh at all the silly jokes. Plus, she feels like a third wheeler with the two other girls. She misses Maggie more than anything. 

E-mails sent back and forth just aren’t enough. 

***

The door creaks open and she’s greeted by an awfully silent home as she walks into her house. There’s no TV playing in the background and there’s no sound of her parents’ voice. Alex cautiously walks into the kitchen, a little worried. She passes by the living room and Dad’s not there watching TV and Mom’s not using her laptop on the couch like usual.

She finds them at the counter in the kitchen and they barely acknowledge her presence. Dad’s got his phone out in front of him but he’s just staring at his own reflection. Mom is looking out the window and there’s a tissue in her hand. 

“What happened?” Her voice is quiet but louder than ever in the silent room. 

She sits next to Dad at the counter fiddling with her hands and Mom sits across from them a few seconds later. Dad sighs, takes a deep breath. “Do you remember that colleague I told you about a few times? Mr Zor-El?”

Alex nods. “You said he’s a friend of yours.” 

“Both him and his wife Alura passed away last night. Their house burned down.”

Alex takes a sharp intake of breath and it’s silent again as Dad takes another deep breath and Mom’s eyes fill with tears. Alex’s heart drops. She feels helpless. She doesn’t exactly know what to do in this situation. She hugs Dad from the side and grabs Mom’s hand. “I’m so sorry.” 

Eventually, Mom looks up. “They have a daughter, Kara. She’s alone now. Her only living family is a cousin who can’t afford to look after her.” Mom’s eyes have a faraway look in them and Alex aches to make her parents feel better. “We were thinking of taking her in. Letting her be apart of this family. I knew her mother quite well and this is the least we could do for her.”

Her response is immediate. She doesn’t even hesitate. She just nods. “Do it.” There’s a little girl out there who’s just lost her family and Alex knows how bad the foster system can be. She’s going to help Kara as much as she can. Even if she barely knows her. 

 

Her parents make the calls and sign all the papers needed to legally adopt Kara. Alex is over the moon at the thought of having a little sister. She’s always daydreamed about a younger sibling to look after and teach. It doesn’t matter that Kara is only a little over a year younger than her. She’s going to teach her all she knows.

She wonders what Maggie will think when she learns about Kara. Alex will have to write to her later. Maggie once told her she’d make a great big sister and she really hopes it’s true.

**

M’gann M’orzz is Alex’s close friend and the greatest advicer she knows. 

Alex rushes to her house the next morning, hoping for some advice from her friend. M’gann was also adopted as a child when she lost her family to a plane crash at the age of six. Alex knows that if there’s anyone who can help Kara, it’s M’gann.

“When I was first adopted, Alex, I was so so sad.” M’gann tells her. “Kara’s going to feel the same way but she’s going to need time and space to adjust. You’re going to have to be there for her too. When I first got here, my adoptive mother was my rock and she held me every night when I cried and told me that things would be okay in the end. You’re going to need to be Kara’s rock.”

 

**

When Kara first arrives, she is stricken with grief. Alex can’t blame her. She just lost her parents. Her entire family and home. She’s lost everything. 

Even though they’re almost the same height, Alex can’t help but notice how small Kara looks with her head down and her body closed off. Alex feels a need deep inside of her to make sure this little girl is always happy. 

The first night, Kara barely talks and she sobs quietly in her sleep. They’ve added an extra bed in her room for Kara. Alex slips off her bed and walks to Kara. She sits down next to her and rubs her back, telling her that things will end up okay. Kara doesn’t really respond but Alex feels like she’s grateful. Alex stays with her the whole night and neither of them sleep until the sun rises and the birds start to sing. 

As Kara slowly starts opening up, Alex feels the weight on her shoulders start to lift. They’re both having breakfast one day and Alex is telling Kara all about Maggie. 

“Sometimes we play pool at her house. Her dad has a pool table. And Maggie, Maggie is such a terrible pool player.” Alex smiles fondly. “I even try to let her win all the time and she can’t keep up!” 

Kara smiles widely at her, something she’s only done a handful of times since arriving, and Alex’s main goal in life right now is to elicit as many smiles as she can from Kara. It’s a heartwarming smile that radiates throught the room and Alex is sure that Kara’s smile can cure anything. 

“Maggie sounds like a really cool person. I can’t wait to meet her.” 

“Me too.” Alex says. “And I can’t wait for her to come back in two weeks.” 

“You guys sound really close. You must really love her.” Kara has this soft look in her eyes, like she really appreciates what they have. 

Alex nods. “Yeah. We’ve been a team for half our lives.” 

**

They go for ice-cream one afternoon when their parents are still working. Kara’s barely left the house since she arrived and she looks radiant under the bright sun. She’s much happier now though she still has a certain dimness around her. 

“I love ice-cream so much.” She moans as she licks hers, a giddy smile on her face. “It’s been so long since I had it.” 

Alex laughs. “I can definitely tell you love it.” 

Kara finishes the ice-cream too fast and she pouts at her empty hands. Alex thinks she looks like a puppy with that pout. She wonders how Kara’s genuine kindness and light comes so naturally to her. She doesn’t want to see that light ever diminished again. It’s too pure. 

She hands Kara her ice-cream, it’s only half eaten and she’s not in the mood to finish it anyway. Kara’s eyes widen and she squeals out a thank you. She devours that in record time.

Mom’s going to have to make entire feasts just to satisfy this girl’s stomach.

**

The house phone rings at exactly 9 pm and Alex grabs hold of it in barely a second. She’d been sitting on the sofa beside it for the past half hour, trying to read her book but not really being able to pay any attention to the words on the page.

“Hey.” She whispers.

“Alex!” Oh gosh, she’s missed that voice so much. “How are you doing?”

“I’m good.” Alex tells her. “How are you? Is everything okay there? I know you’ve been stuck with your dad for so long and-”

“Alex, chill. I’m fine. And let’s not talk about my dad, please.” Maggie sighs and Alex wants to hug her. But she can’t exactly hug Maggie through a phone. 

“Okay. How was your day?” 

“It was alright. I guess. I spent a lot of time with my cousins. And my Abuelita thought me how to bake.” 

“Does that mean you’re baking me cakes now? I have a couple of favourites you can try.” 

Maggie laughs and Alex revels in the sound she’s missed so much in the past three weeks. “We’ll see. How was your day?”

“I took Kara out for ice-cream today. She eats so much, Maggie.” 

“Oh, Kara! How’s she? What’s she like?”

“I can’t wait for you to meet her, Maggie. She’s so nice and kind and happy all the time. You’ll love her.”

“I’m sure I will.” Alex can tell Maggie is smiling on the other side. She pictures her dimples. “I can’t wait to meet her.”

They talk more, well past Alex’s bedtime, but that night Alex sleeps better than she has in ages.

**

Kara is invited the next time Alex goes to Lucy’s house and she immediately hits it off with M’gann and Lucy. 

“Alex!” Lucy grins at her while she watches Kara and M’gann laugh at a joke. “Your new sister is fun. Why aren’t you as fun as her?” 

Alex punches her shoulder and laughs with her. “Fun isn’t in my genes apparently.”

Later, Alex watches M’gann and Kara sitting close to each other and speaking in whispers to each other with sad smiles on their face. When they get home, Kara is visibly lighter than before and she’s isn’t as sad anymore. 

Alex is thankful for M’gann. She knows her friend told Kara what she needed to hear. 

**

The day Maggie returns home, Alex is at her front door ready to give her the world’s biggest hug. She does as soon as Maggie opens the door and they laugh into it. 

“I missed you.” Alex says. “Don’t leave for so long ever again.”

“I missed you too, nerd.” They pull apart and Maggie gasps. “Alex, what the hell?”

Alex scrunches her face. “What?” 

“You’re taller than me!” 

She eyes Maggie up and down. Maggie is right, she is taller. She actually has to look down on her now. She laughs. “Shorty.” 

“Fight me.”

“Please, you know you’d lose within seconds.” 

Maggie huffs, faking a frown. “I hate you.” Alex gives her a smug smile and Maggie drops her frown in exchange for her smile. “So, when can I meet your new sister.” 

“You say it like she’s a puppy.” Alex replies then grabs Maggie’s hand. “Also, now.”

 

Kara and Maggie get along like a house on fire and Alex could not be happier. She has to admit, she’d been a little nervous about them meeting. What if they hated each other? She couldn’t pick sides. She knows for a fact that they’re going to be the two most important people in her life. 

She’s absolutely relieved that they enjoy each other’s company.

“I can’t wait to tell you all the embarrassing stories I have on Alex, Kara.”

“Maggie! Don’t you dare.”

“Do you know about the chip she has on her tooth?” Maggie starts and Kara looks absolutely elated as she nods at Maggie. She hates this story and okay, maybe it wasn’t a good idea to introduce them to each other. “But do you know how she got it?”

Kara shakes her head and Alex interrupts. “I don’t think she needs to hear this story.”

It’s like talking to a wall, the two just ignore her. She crosses her arms and Maggie smirks. “Right so we were out at the park one day at Alex just falls onto the pavement. There was no bump or ridge or anything. She just straight up trips on air and falls on her face. It was hilarious.” 

Kara looks concerned for a minute. “That must have hurt.” 

“Thank you for caring.” She glares at Maggie. “Unlike some people.” 

“Oh! And that time she…” Oh, this was going to be a long day.

 

**

“A family moved into the house next door, today.” Maggie says. They’re both at the park watching Charlie, who’s grown so much in the past four years, run around. 

“Have you met them yet?” 

“No. They have a daughter our age though.” Maggie adds, somewhat hesitantly. “She seems friendly.” 

“Is she cute?” Alex is only joking but Maggie is suddenly uncharacteristically silent. “Maggie?” 

“I don’t know.” Maggie says, pulling a piece of grass from the ground. “She smiled at me before I left. It made my ears burn.” 

Alex pokes her side. “Ooooh, you have a crush.” 

Maggie swats her hand but she’s laughing. “Shut up. I don’t even know her name!” 

“Oh, but you will.” Alex insists. “I’m gonna be your wingman now.” 

“Oh no. Please don’t even try.” 

“I’m your best friend. It’s practically my job.” 

 

Her name turns out to be Emily and she’s so pretty and nice that Alex just knows Maggie deserves someone like her. Yet, she can’t place the uncomfortable feelings in her stomach when she watches her Maggie smile so widely at someone who isn’t her. She pins it down as jealously. She’s not used to sharing Maggie with someone else. 

She welcomes Emily with open arms though. Because she makes Maggie happy and that puts her in Alex’s good books. Besides, the girl’s too sweet to be resentful towards.

**

Tuesday nights are declared as sister nights by Kara and they both spend them watching shitty movies and talking about their lives. It’s pretty much the only time Alex spends without Maggie. 

She loves those nights though, and even if Kara does make her watch boring rom-coms, she looks forward to it every week.

**

Maggie starts spending more and more time alone with Emily and Alex is fine with it. 

Completely, totally, utterly fine. 

She’s not jealous. Not at all.

It’s just that maybe she’s a tiny little bit afraid of Emily stealing Maggie away from her. But she doesn’t have anything to worry about right? It’s not like Maggie skips out on any of the planned hangouts.

It will all be okay. 

Even Kara says as much.

**

One night, Kara and Alex are huddled together on the roof, a large, soft blanket covering their shoulders. The sky is clear of any clouds and the stars shine brightly over them. Alex’s mind drifts to nights spent with Maggie under the stars. 

Maggie, who made plans with Emily, skipping their weekend sleepovers for the first time in her life. 

It’s not like Alex can blame her. She knows Maggie is really into Emily. Sometimes they hang out together and Emily looks at Maggie like she hung the stars in the sky. 

Their crushes on each other are clearly mutual and Alex only wants for Maggie to be happy. So she lets her go because Maggie told her that she’s going to confess her feelings to Emily and Alex can only hope for the best. 

Except, she doesn’t know if the best is Emily rejecting her so she can have Maggie all to herself again or if it’s Emily liking her back and Maggie pursuing a happy relationship. Either way, she’ll have to live with it. 

She knows Kara can sense her disappointment. She knows because Kara looked at her with sad, apologetic eyes when she told her sister Maggie was not coming tonight. She knows in the way Kara hugged her a little tighter than usual before telling her that they’re going to have an amazing night alone. Just the two of them. 

“I have an idea.” Kara whispers. She grins at her and stands up, pulling Alex up with her. Alex eyes her with confusion. “Let’s go for a walk.” 

Alex’s eyes widen. “Kara, it’s 3 am and if Mom and Dad found out, they’d kill us.” 

“They won’t find out.” Kara is already climbing back into their room. “Come on, Alex, it’ll be fun.”

She relents because she knows Kara is the type of person whose mind cannot be changed when it’s made. But also because she wants to be there to protect Kara. 

She tries to ignore the other voice gnawing at her head, though. The voice that tells her maybe she’s doing this because she’s pissed at Maggie for not being here to prevent this from happening. She knows Kara is really only doing this to help Alex feel better about Maggie. 

There’s a chilly breeze blowing her hair back and Alex shivers, wishing she had the hindsight to bring her jacket with her, but they’d rushed out the back door as silently as possibly to avoid any suspicion from their parents. 

Kara is grinning next to her, her cheeks red from the cold breeze and the streets are empty, not a single soul in sight. It’s quiet, not the eerie kind but the rather the peaceful kind. As they pass by the houses in silence, Alex wonders about the families inside. All probably sound asleep at this hour. 

She thinks about Maggie, a long walk away. She wonders what she’s doing. If Emily happily accepted Maggie’s feelings or if she rejected her, leaving Maggie to most likely go home and sulk. 

She doubts Emily would reject Maggie though. She knows for a fact that Emily likes Maggie a lot. 

Then her mind takes a different route, maybe Maggie had her first kiss last night. Oh gosh, her mind reels at the mental image and her cheeks grow hot. She pushes the thought away. It’s really not something she wants to think about. 

Maggie kissing someone is a picture she never wants in her mind again. It feels… invasive. Yes, that must be it. 

She lets out a long sigh and Kara looks at her. She’s only known her sister for about a month but it already feels like they’ve known each other their whole lives. “Wanna talk about it?” 

Alex nods. “It’s just... I’m not used to Maggie spending so much time with someone else, you know? I mean it used to be only the two of us.” 

“You’re afraid she’ll leave you for Emily?” Kara rubs her back soothingly when Alex nods. “It’s okay to feel that way, Alex. And trust me, Maggie loves you and she’ll always be your friend. You won’t lose her.” 

“Thanks, Kara.” Alex tries a smile. 

Kara squeezes her shoulder. “And you’ll never lose me.”

Alex has never felt more grateful for her sister. It hasn’t been long since they first met, but she knows Kara will always be a constant in her life. 

She can only hope that Maggie is too.

 

Opening the doors to their house as quietly as possible proves to be of no use. As soon as they enter they see Mom and Dad, arms crossed and stern looks on their faces. 

Alex’s stomach drop and she turns to see the look of horror on Kara’s face. 

“And just where have the two of you been?” Dad’s voice rings through the house. “We’ve been worried sick.” 

“Sorry, mom, dad.” Alex tries. “We just went for a walk.” She fiddles with her fingers. 

“At 3 am.” Mom points out. “Alexandra, you should have known better.” 

Alex opens her mouth to reply but Kara cuts her off. “Please don’t blame her, Eliza. It was never Alex’s fault. I was the one who forced her to come with me.” 

She looks at her sister in surprise, not really expecting Kara to take all the blame. It doesn’t work though. Mom only glares harder at her and Alex tries not to squirm under her scrutiny. “That doesn’t matter Kara, Alex should have known better.” 

“Alex, you’re a big sister now.” Dad says. “You have to know better. It’s your duty now.”

“We’re sorry.” Alex says. “It won’t happen again.” 

Her parents nod stiffly, still angry at them. “Good. But you’re both still grounded.”

“I’m sorry.” Kara tells her when they retreat back to their room. “I shouldn’t have pushed you.”

“Don’t worry about it, Kara. It’s not your fault.” She doesn’t know if she really believes the words coming out of her mouth. She can’t shake the fact that she was who received most of the scolding when it was Kara’s dumb idea in the first place. 

**

The book she’s holding in her hand can’t seem to capture her attention. Her mind keeps drifting off to the previous night, going out with Kara, getting in trouble. And of course, Maggie. It’s mid-afternoon and she still hasn’t heard from her. Normally, Maggie’s at her house by morning, a wide grin on her face and some new idea of what to try that day on the tip of her tongue. 

But she’s not here today and Kara’s sulking on her bed, trying not to apologize for the thousandth time for last night. 

She wonders what Maggie is doing but the answer is pretty obvious if Maggie is not by her side by now. She’s with Emily. They’re probably having fun, doing whatever girlfriends do together. Are they girlfriends? Probably. Emily would be a fool to not go out with Maggie. 

Alex knows Emily isn’t a fool. In fact, she’s pretty smart. They may not have started school yet, but she knows that Emily is a straight A’s person too. Just like Alex. That’s the one thing they have in common. 

“You know Maggie will come around right?” It’s Kara, she’s watching Alex with wide concerned eyes. “She loves you.”

Her lips spread into a small smile but she doesn’t look at Kara. “Yeah.”

“Emily is fresh and new for her. She’s just having fun for awhile. She’ll come back.” 

“I hope.”

**

It turns out, Kara is right. Maggie bounds into their room, like she lives in the place - which she pretty much does - a few hours later. She’s got a huge grin on her face, larger than normal and dimples bright enough for the entire world to look at. Seeing Maggie so happy, Alex knows she can’t fuck up her relationship because she’s just a little bit jealous. She pushes aside all her resentment. 

Kara excuses herself from the room and Alex is eternally grateful for her sister’s understanding. 

“I heard you got grounded. What a rebel.” Maggie flops on Alex’s bed and when she looks at her she sees stars dancing in Maggie’s eyes. She can just tell Maggie can’t wait to talk about her night.

“Yeah, Kara and I sneaked out.” Alex says, then she lays down next to Maggie, placing her book aside. “Do you want to tell me about your night?” 

Maggie’s eyes light up. “I kissed her last night, Alex. It was so nice. She smelled like vanilla and she was so beautiful and kind.” Maggie is practically swooning. “I held her hand and she played with my hair and we watched a movie. It was perfect.” 

“That sounds very nice.” Alex forces the words out her mouth. She has to be happy for Maggie. Her jealousy doesn’t even make any sense. She should be jumping with joy for her best friend, not trying her hardest to not scowl. 

Alex hugs Maggie, hides her face in her shoulder and squeezes her tightly. “I’m happy for you, Maggie. You deserve this.” 

“Thank you.” Maggie says. She removes herself from the hug and frowns. “I just don’t know what I’m gonna do about my dad, you know? He just ignores this huge part of me and I’m not sure how to handle that.” 

“You don’t have to tell him yet, Maggie.” She rubs Maggie’s shoulder. “I can’t promise you that he’ll come around but he still loves you more than anything.”

Maggie gives her a small smile. “Thanks, Al. You’re the best.” 

“I know.” Alex grins but feels selfish for being grateful that they are no longer talking about Emily. “Now, I haven’t seen you in like a day so we’re spending the rest of the weekend together watching space documentaries.” 

“Sure thing, you nerd.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hope you liked it!  
> my tumblr is [here](http://sawyersgay.tumblr.com/) if you wanna come say hi

**Author's Note:**

> Stay tuned for part two where stuff get a little gay and we meet Kara Danvers.  
> Also come talk to me on my [tumblr](http://sawyersgay.tumblr.com/) about sanvers if you please. 
> 
> Hope you liked it!


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